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Thinking about heading to Belgium and need more information on how to take the train from Paris to Bruges? Start your journey here!
In total, the train journey from Paris to Bruges usually takes 3 hours and 29 minutes, although it can take just 2 hours and 26 minutes on the fastest services. As there are no direct trains available, you'll need to make one change along the way.
To get to Bruges, you’ll first need to take a Eurostar train from Paris Gare du Nord to Brussels. All Eurostar trains on this route offer free WiFi and an onboard restaurant. Upgrade to Premium Class and enjoy roomier seats and complimentary snacks and drinks served straight to your seat. Once you’ve arrived at Brussels Midi station (also known as Bruxelles-Midi, Brussell-Zuid or Brussels South), you’ll need to hop on a short SNCB service to Bruges.
Once you've arrived in Bruges (also called Brugge in Dutch), you’ll have plenty of time to wander around the cobble-stoned lanes. While it’s possible to squeeze in a day trip from Paris to Bruges, we’d recommend making your trip an overnight stay if you really want to see all this charming city has to offer. Be sure to check out the Markt and the 12th-century Belfry of Bruges.
Start your search for times and tickets in our Journey Planner at the top of the page. Remember to type ‘Brugge’ into the destination box to get results for the Belgian city. Or, keep reading for more information on:
OUIGO is the low-cost, high-speed train service operated by the French national train company SNCF. Despite having only one class on board, OUIGO trains offer the same comfort as Second Class seats on TGV trains, although OUIGO tickets are only available to purchase online. To make your journey as smooth as possible, arrive at least 30 minutes before departure and bear in mind that there's an additional fee for bringing a suitcase with you, having a seat with power sockets and travelling with a stroller/buggy.
Eurostar is the exclusive high-speed train service that links London to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and the rest of Europe at speeds of up to 186 mph (300 km/h). Eurostar also runs trains on more routes between France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. All Eurostar trains have modern, comfortable facilities, plenty of room for baggage, and onboard food and beverage car. There are three comfort classes on offer – Eurostar Standard, Eurostar Plus (equivalent to Premium Economy, with light refreshments served), and Eurostar Premier (equivalent to First or Business Class, with flexible travel options, priority boarding, lounge access and delicious food and drink included).
SNCB is the national railway company of Belgium, with services that include national (Intercity) and regional (Local) express trains. All SNCB trains come with both First Class and Second Class carriages. Belgium has one of the densest rail networks in the world. Seat reservations aren’t possible for any of the company's trains.
In Eurostar Standard, you'll find comfortable seats, free WiFi and a large selection of drinks and snacks for sale in the onboard café-bar.
As well as all the facilities you'll find in Eurostar Standard, in Eurostar Plus you'll also get a light meal served at your seat for trips to and from London. Though you won't get a meal at your seat for trips solely in Europe, you'll get to sit back and relax in comfier seats.
Eurostar Premier gives you the freedom to travel in your own time, with same-day boarding guaranteed and Eurostar's exclusive lounges (where available) where you can relax before your trip. In Eurostar Premier, you'll also benefit from complete comfort, including a free meal and free drinks at your seat.
OUIGO comes with only one class, Standard Class, which is the equivalent of TGV's Second Class. On board you'll find WiFi and a café-bar (on services in Spain). There may be a trolley service on Train Classique services in France. You can pay extra to guarantee a seat with a power outlet, as not all seats currently have one.
If you're traveling in Second Class, you'll find plenty of baggage storage and power outlets as standard. You can reserve your seat only if you buy a group ticket.
Upgrade to First Class and enjoy more legroom and comfortable seats. You can reserve your seat only if you buy a group ticket.
What baggage limits are there? | Although there's no weight limit for your baggage on Eurostar trains, you must be able to carry your bags safely by yourself. Each bag must be clearly labeled and must be no longer than 33.4 inches (for trains to and from the United Kingdom) or no larger than 29.5 x 20.8 x 11.8 inches (for trains in Europe). |
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What food and drink is available? | Are you traveling to or from the United Kingdom? In Eurostar Standard, choose from a wide selection of drinks and snacks at the Eurostar Café, the onboard bar car in the middle of the train. Cards and cash (Euros or pounds) are accepted. If you're traveling in Eurostar Plus, a light meal and a drink will be served at your seat. For all other Eurostar trains (red trains, formerly Thalys), head to the bar car and choose from a wide range of hot and cold drinks as well as savory and sweet snacks. |
What onboard entertainment is available? | Eurostar doesn't have an onboard entertainment portal. However, there is free WiFi available, as well as UK and EU power outlets at your seat so you can charge your devices while traveling. |
What facilities are there for travel with children? |
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Can I bring a bike on board? | Generally, Eurostar trains running to and from the United Kingdom can't transport fully assembled bikes - though on certain trains between London and Brussels, you may be able to book a bike space by contacting Eurostar. You can, however, take a foldable bike on board Eurostar trains to and from the UK provided that it's no more than 33.4 inches long and it fits in a protective bag that covers the whole bicycle. Folded bikes are treated as standard baggage. For all other Eurostar trains in Europe, a limited number of non-foldable bikes can be brought on board, provided that the wheels are taken off and the whole bicycle is stored in a suitable cover (max. size 53.1 x 33.4 x 11.8 inches). Foldable bicycles are also permitted and count towards standard baggage limits. |
Can I bring pets on board? | The rules around traveling with your pets depend on whether you're traveling across the Channel or not, so check before you travel: Eurostar trains to and from the United Kingdom:
Trains in the rest of Europe:
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What special assistance is available? | If you need help getting on or off the train, you should contact Eurostar directly before your trip. To use Eurostar's special assistance program, fill in this contact form at least 48 hours before your journey so that the team can help you. If you're traveling on trains to/from the United Kingdom:
If you're traveling on red trains in the rest of Europe:
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What else do I need to know? | Specific restrictions for trains to/from the United Kingdom: Liquids:
Sports equipment:
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What baggage limits are there? | One piece of hand baggage (36 x 27 x 15 cm) and one piece of cabin baggage (55 x 35 x 25 cm) can be taken onboard. You can take additional or larger bags with you (max. 30kg) for an extra fee or by paying for OUIGO Plus. |
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What food and drink is available? | On OUIGO trains in France: an at-seat service of snacks is available on Train classique services. This service is not available on high-speed OUIGO trains. |
What onboard entertainment is available? | WiFi (OUIFI) and an entertainment portal (OUIFUN) are available at an additional cost. |
What facilities are there for travel with children? | For OUIGO trains in France: Passengers under 12 years old pay a fixed price for tickets all year round - €5 for journeys on Train classique services, and €8 for high speed services. |
Can I bring a bike on board? | You can take your bicycle on board OUIGO trains if you add the 'Bike' option onto your ticket for an additional fee of at least €5. Your bike must be folded or dismantled and placed in a storage bag for transport. |
Can I bring pets on board? | Pets are only allowed on board OUIGO trains if the 'Pets' option is added to your ticket at the time of booking. (1 pet per adult, per booking, €10 per pet.) |
What special assistance is available? | For disabled passengers or those with reduced mobility, you can request assistance through 'Accès Plus'. With this service, a member of staff will meet you at the station and help you get to your seat on the train. To book assistance, contact Accès Plus after you book your tickets (and no later than 48 hours before your train is due to depart). |
What baggage limits are there? | When traveling with SNCB, each passenger can take 3 items of baggage on board, as long as the total weight does not exceed 30kg (66.1 pounds). Once you’ve found your seat, you can stow your baggage in the space provided above and below your seat. You can take the following baggage on board for free:
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What food and drink is available? | Currently, SNCB does not offer a food and drink service. Although, you may bring food and drink with you to enjoy on the train. |
What onboard entertainment is available? | Currently, SNCB do not offer WiFi onboard their trains or at stations. |
What facilities are there for travel with children? | As long as they are traveling with a person aged 12 or above with a valid ticket, children under 12 can travel for free without a ticket. However, please note that this only applies to a maximum of 4 children per passenger with a valid ticket. If you have any additional children traveling with you, they will need a half-price Kids Ticket. |
Can I bring a bike on board? | Hoping to travel with your bike? You’ll need to add a Bike Supplement to your ticket. However, if you’re traveling with a folding bike, you don’t need to worry about paying. Bike Supplements are paid on top of your rail fare and cost €4 for a single journey. When boarding, speak to the train conductor and they will tell you if there are spaces available and where you can put your bicycle. SNCB advise you not to travel with a bike at Peak times, because bicycle spaces may not be available. |
Can I bring pets on board? | Guide and assistance dogs Travel is free for guide and assistance dogs. You won’t need to add a Pet Supplement to your ticket. Pets Pets are welcome to travel on SNCB trains if they are on a lead or in a small basket, cage or box. For animals on a lead, a Pet Supplement costs €3 for a single trip. If your pet is in a small basket, cage or box that is smaller than 30 x 55 x 30 cm (11.8 x 21.6 x 11.8 inches), you do not need to pay for a Pet Supplement. Finally, your pet is not allowed to sit on the seats or tables. |
What special assistance is available? | Passengers with reduced mobility should directly contact SNCB to make use of their free assistance service. You can take your wheelchair on board the train for free, regardless of whether or not you use the SNCB's free assistance service. If you are blind or partially sighted, you can take the train for free in 2nd class. |
For specific information about how to get your hands on cheap tickets, check out our European train tickets hub.
Visiting Paris from abroad? You’ll most likely arrive at one of Paris’ airports. If you want to know how to get to central Paris from the airport, keep reading for more details.
In Paris, there are three major airports:
All airports offer a bus and taxi service, but only Charles de Gaulle and Orly have their own dedicated train stations (the nearest train station to Beauvais Tillé is nearby Beauvais).
Due to its central location in the city, Paris Gare du Nord station is easy to reach by all modes of transport.
Public transport to Paris Gare du Nord
Facilities at the station
Arriving for your Eurostar train to Brussels
You should aim to arrive around 20 minutes before your train to Brussels is due to leave. Eurostar trains usually depart from platforms 7 and 8, and you’ll need to pass through a security gate to get onto the platform. There may also be baggage and security checks before boarding the train.
As soon as you’ve arrived at Paris Gare du Nord station, you can take advantage of the facilities and First Class lounges.
What’s on offer at Paris Gare du Nord?
While you wait for your train, there are plenty of restaurants, shops, and cafés you can choose from at Paris Gare du Nord station:
Which facilities are in the Eurostar Lounge at Paris Gare du Nord station?
Paris Gare du Nord’s First Class Lounge is only accessible to Premium travelers, as well as certain members of the loyalty program Club Eurostar. Here, you’ll get to enjoy:
Once you’ve arrived at Brussels Midi station, you’ll need to transfer to an SNCB service to Bruges.
Your Eurostar train from Paris will arrive in Brussels at Brussels Midi train station (also known as Brussel-Zuid). As you go through security in Paris, you can simply grab your baggage and get off the train once you’re in Brussels.
The final leg of your journey involves catching an SNCB train from Brussels to Bruges train station, which takes just under an hour. You won’t need to change stations, as trains to Bruges also depart from Brussels Midi.
You’ll probably have a bit of time to spare in between your trains. Luckily, Brussels Midi train station has plenty of amenities if you need to grab a quick bite to eat or fancy doing a little shopping.
What’s more, when you buy your train tickets with Trainline, all the information you need about your planned journey is saved in our app, so you’ll know exactly how much time you have until your next train. Your ticket will also display the number of the train you’ll be traveling on (such as ‘IC 533’) – this is what you’ll need to look out for on the departure boards to make sure you’re getting the right train.
If you’re taking an SNCB train from Brussels to Bruges, your SNCB ticket is valid all day. So, if you want to explore a bit of Brussels before carrying on your journey, you can!
What if my journey doesn’t go through Brussels?
Our Journey Planner offers different options for this route, so you may be booked on a different service (such as a journey that has a transfer in Lille). If this is the case, all the information you need will be in our app and on your tickets.
In just under an hour, your train will arrive at Bruges station.
Once you’ve stepped off the train, you’ll find yourself in Bruges station. Make sure you keep your ticket ready because you’ll need to scan the barcode on your ticket to pass through the gates and exit the platform area. Before heading to the city center, you can take advantage of the following amenities:
As Bruges station is situated on the edge of the city, central Bruges can be easily reached by taxi, bus or on foot. Since Bruges is a small, walkable city, we recommend making the journey on foot. You can get from Bruges station to the Markt, the city’s central square, in less than 20 minutes. Also, you’ll get to see the city’s charming canals and bridges, as well as Minnewater Park, home to the “Lake of Love”.
If you have a lot of baggage and would like to take the bus from the station to the city center, you can get the bus from the stop outside the station to Stadsschouwburg in the city center, via lines 4, 5, 7, 9, 14, 15, 17 and 25.
If you’ve enjoyed your time in Bruges and want to explore more of Belgium, you can easily reach nearby towns and cities by train. The real question is: where should you go next?
If you’ve enjoyed your time in Bruges and want to explore more of Europe, you can easily reach nearby towns and cities by train. To inspire your next trip, here are some of the most popular train journeys from Bruges:
After visiting Bruges, why not continue exploring Europe by train? With a Eurail Pass, you can travel across 33 European countries as much as you want on participating European train networks for a set amount of travel days.
You can use a Eurail Pass if you’re not a European citizen or resident. If you're a European citizen or a non-European who is an official legal resident of a European country, you can use an Interrail Pass instead.
If you're flying home, you might be wondering how to get to the airport from central Bruges. Keep reading for more information.
Although there is an airport around 16 miles from Bruges, Ostend–Bruges International Airport is mostly used for freight transport. If you’re flying abroad at the end of your trip, you’ll most likely depart from Brussels Airport, on the outskirts of the Belgian capital. If you want to use public transport to get from Bruges city center to Brussels airport, you have to follow these steps: